Try Not To Step On Anybodies Toes
by xprinsipessa
Summary: Amber thinks her dancing lessons are going to be ruined when she gets paired up with Desmond.
1. Chapter 1

The dance of the day had yet to be declared to the students of Royal Prep.

Even ignorant of what was to come, Amber wasn't worried. She would simply glide through the proper instruction, as she often did in during these lessons. She was _made_ for dancing!

After having informed those gathered they would be learning the polka, the dancing teacher looked down to the list in his hand, going through a list of the class' names.  
 _James with Vivian, Clio with Zandar, Khalid with Sofia-_

"And Amber, you and Desmond will be dancing together," announced Professor Popov.

 _Desmond!_

He'd keep his eyes down to the ground every step of the way and still he'd managed to stomp on her toes, and ruin her princess pumps to boot.

Amber raised her hand high to catch the teacher's attention as quickly as possible.

"Yes, Amber?"

"Professor Popov, would it be possible to pair me up with someone _else_?" the princess asked, adopting a sickly sweet tone only she was capable of mustering.

Before the professor had even answered her, Amber could tell by the soft shake of his head and slight curve of his lips that she wasn't going to be pacified so easily. The smile she had been wearing starts to fade.

"I'm afraid not, Princess Amber."

If one were to listen close enough, they would have heard a growl having been emitted from the young girl. Amber tuts, tossing her head back slightly as fingers rise to fluff out the ends of her hair.  
 _  
Fine, if that's how it must be. But Desmond had better not ruin the lesson for her._


	2. Chapter 2

Professor Popov had demonstrated the steps for the benefit of the students, having taken Princess Jun as his temporary partner before returning her to Prince Jin. Now it was time for the class to test how well they had been observing and prove what they had learned.

The hand Amber had taken hold of had already begun to lose its colour.  
The warning was clear.

The princess had already proven to be correct in her assumption. Desmond's eyes were downcast, concentrating hard on the marble floor they stood upon. Amber couldn't help but scoff. It was only a matter of time until the rest of her expectations came to pass.

There was movement from the gathered orchestra before the cue of music filled the room, slowed down by half to accommodate the learners. Amber could hear the soft sound of giggling from a few pairs as they tried to find their footing. While the rest of her classmates could find something to laugh at, Amber refused to see the funny side of things.

It was all she could do to step back a pace without the risk of injury. There is a breath, and a halt is brought to their _dancing_.

"You're thinking too much," she could hear herself say, not entirely sure if she meant it as a criticism. And still he couldn't find it in himself to even look at her! She didn't know what was worse: being humiliated in front of her class with this shoddy footwork or not being found to be pretty enough to at least glance at for the duration of a single dance.

She's close to raising her hand once more for the professor's attention but the sound of a mumbled apology has her pause.


	3. Chapter 3

Amber sharply removes her hands from his and his shoulder, crossing her arms over her chest. She turns her head and allows a pout to form on her lips. They were the only two out of the whole class not dancing. They must have looked ridiculous!

"Amber," the voice to come from behind the blonde princess' shoulder belonged to Princess Vivian. "Desmond; are you all right?" The concern on her face was clear. James and her had put a stop to their learning to gauge the situation.

"We'd be all right," Amber declared a little too loudly, "if Prince Desmond knew how to dance!"

The princess would not have been as insulted as she was now if she had not been partnered up with Desmond in the first place. Professor Popov knew she was better than _this_. Why had he gone out of his way to embarrass her like this?

There's a reassuring touch against Amber's arm that came from Princess Clio. "You can dance with Zandar if you'd like, Amber. Right, Professor?"

The whole class looked to the teacher.  
He did not deliberate.

"No. Music, please!"

Amber scowled. What did he mean 'no'? 'No' had never been a word she had ever bothered learning the definition of.

To rest of the class, the word of the professor settled the matter, and those who had stopped to watch the fuss turned to their partners once more, some expressing their concern a little more openly in their faces than others.

There is a sound of irritation to be heard from Amber as she grabs a hold of Desmond's hand once more, partly fuelled by her anger at the situation. The gesture is enough to cause him to look up in both surprise and discomfort.

 _Well – there's a start._

The hand placed on his shoulder grips just that bit tighter and she almost begins to shake him as she speaks. "Now, can we please keep our eyes up where they belong?"

There's a moment before she receives a jittery set of nods in response. The answer doesn't settle every one of her worries, but it was something.

"Just, listen to the music." The words sound too reassuring to Amber's ear. "And stop thinking so hard!"


	4. Chapter 4

"Amber and Desmond. Please stay behind a moment." The directive puts a halt to their departure.

Amber turned on the tip of a toe, hands coming to a close before her. "Yes, Professor?" The familiar sight of an innocent's smile stretches across the princess' lips.

The professor's eyebrows raise the slightest degree. "I've called you both back to offer congratulations. The progress you have made today was most notable."

Congratulations? The word almost causes her smile falter. Amber had been expecting trouble, but no – she was being complimented.  
And Desmond too?

"Oh?" Amber spoke, trying to sound as unaffected as possible.

"Yes," Professor Popov replied, placing his hands on a shoulder of each student. ". Now, hurry to class," he went on, nudging them along towards the hallway door.

Once they had both crossed the threshold, the door is shut behind them.

Casting a look to the boy now stood at her side, Desmond makes an expression of something that she supposed was a smile.  
There's no time to return it.

Amber coloured eyes fix to Desmond as he rushes ahead to attend his next lesson.

Hm.

Maybe she **_hadn't_** given him enough credit after all.


End file.
